Free and Reduced Lunch Eligibility
Children need healthy meals to learn. Cashton Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $.70 for elementary and $.95 for middle/high school; lunch costs $2.85 for elementary and $2.95 for middle/high school. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch. This packet includes an application for free or reduced price meal benefits, and a set of detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.
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Who can get free or reduced price meals?
- All children in households receiving benefits from FoodShare, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or W-2 cash benefits are eligible for free meals, when listed on the application.
- Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
- Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
- Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
- Children may qualify to receive free or reduced price meals if your household income is at or below the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.
How do I know if my children qualify as homeless, migrant, or runaway?
Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and have not been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Lynn Maas, 608-654-5131 ext. 302, or email maasl@cashton.k12.wi.us
Do I need to fill out an application for each child?
No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Cashton Public Schools, Attn: Lorraine Hanley, P.O. Box 129, Cashton, WI 54619.
Should I fill out an application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are already approved for free or reduced price meals?
Please read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. If your letter indicated you qualify for free meals, then no application is needed. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Lorraine Hanley, 608-654-5131 ext. 120, or email hanley.lorraine@cashton.k12.wi.us immediately. If your household was notified it qualified for reduced price meals, we encourage you to complete an application to potentially qualify for free meals based on household size and income.
Do I need to fill out an application if my child attends a community eligibility provision (CEP) school?
If your child attends a school that participates in CEP, receipt of free breakfast and lunch meals does not depend on returning this application. However, this information is necessary for other programs and may be used to determine if your household is eligible for additional benefits.
Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit www.cashton.k12.wi.us under your Family Access account to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact Lorraine Hanley, 608-654-5131 ext. 120 or email hanley.lorraine@cashton.k12.wi.us if you have any questions about the application process.
My child's application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out a new one?
Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year, through October 14, 2025, or when a new eligibility is determined. You must submit a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year. If you do not submit a new application that is approved by the school or you have not been notified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price for meals.
I get WIC. Can my children get free meals?
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals, but it is based on income. Please submit an application.
My child Participates in BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid. Can my child get free meals?
Children participating in BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid may be eligible for free or reduced price meals, but it is based on income. Please submit an application.
Will the information I give be checked?
Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed or experience a financial hardship may become eligible for free and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Ryan Alderson, District Administrator, P.O. Box 129, Cashton, WI 54619, 608-654-5131, ext. 401.
May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals
What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.
What if some household members have no income to report?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
We are in the military. do we report our income differently?
Our basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Do not include any combat pay resulting from deployment as income.
What if there is not enough space on the application for my family?
List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application.
My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for?
To find out how to apply for FoodShare or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-800-362-3002.
If this application is approved will my child receive summer EBT benefits?
Yes. An approved Household Application for Free or Reduced Priced Meals qualifies your household for Summer EBT benefits. More information is available on DPI's website
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If you have other questions or need help, call 608-654-5131 ext. 120.
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Federal Eligibility Income Chart For School Year 2025-26
| Household size |
Yearly ($) |
Monthly ($) |
Weekly ($) |
| 1 |
28,953 |
2,413 |
557 |
| 2 |
39,128 |
3,261 |
753 |
| 3 |
49,303 |
4,109 |
949 |
| 4 |
59,478 |
4,957 |
1,144 |
| 5 |
69,653 |
5,805 |
1,340 |
| 6 |
79,828 |
6,653 |
1,536 |
| 7 |
90,003 |
7,501 |
1,731 |
| 8 |
100,178 |
8,349 |
1,927 |
| Each additional person: |
10,175 |
848 |
196 |
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In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. The District's nondiscrimination statement below is complementary to the District's nondiscrimination policies, including Policy 2260 - Nondiscrimination and Access to Equal Opportunity and Policy 1422/Policy 3122/Policy 4122 - Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online here, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online here, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
- Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- E-mail:
program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
In accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Final Rule: Local School Wellness Policy Implementation, all School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program must complete an assessment of their local wellness policy, at minimum, once every three years. The assessment requirement is designed to result in local school wellness policies that strengthen the ability of SFAs to create a school nutrition environment that promotes students' health, well-being, and ability to learn.
The summary report card is available here.
The results of the Wellness Committee's self evaluation are here.
The Wellness Policy, 8510, is available here. This policy is scheduled for revision during the 2021-2022 school year.
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